The pagan festivals incorporated into Christianity should not be overlooked. When you take part in these holiday celebrations, do you really understand what you are celebrating? One thing is for sure: it's not what the Christian culture has told you.
The pagan origins of Christian festivities and holidays have been known for eons. But Christians do a good job of ignoring the significance of the links that show the roots of the belief system.
Holidays are the glue that binds a society together. Holidays and festivals bring people together to celebrate and affirm common values. They connect us to our heritage, the land, the seasons, and our spiritual beliefs. Many traditions are remnants of oral traditions that were part of early civilization. These traditions contain legends, stories, and rituals that have evolved to fit into modern life.
Although we continue to practice these benchmarks, we are disconnected from their original meaning. In many cases, the symbolism of these events has been redefined.
The 8 Pagan Holidays β The Wheel of The Year
Ancient cultures divided the year into eight segments, with festivals to commemorate them. The Wheel is a practical way of measuring the days of the year. It is based on the annual movement of the sun as it crosses the sky. It contains the two Solstices and Equinox and the midpoints between them. These 8 points move year-to-year depending on the actual celestial alignment of the Sun:
1) Christmas β Yule (Dec 21-25)
2) St. Brigid's Day Imbolc (Feb 1-2)
3) Easter β Ostara (Mar 20-23)
4) St. Walpurgis Night β Beltane (Apr 30, May 1)
5) John the Baptist Day β Litha (June 20-22)
6) Lammas Day β Lughnasadh (August 1)
7) Michaelmas β Mabon (Sept 20-23).
8) All Hallows Eve (Halloween) β Samhain (October 31)
Celebrate the Seasons!
